Jaworski D M, Kelly G M, Hockfield S
Yale University School of Medicine, Section of Neurobiology, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
J Cell Biol. 1994 Apr;125(2):495-509. doi: 10.1083/jcb.125.2.495.
Hyaluronan (HA) is a ubiquitous component of the extracellular matrix of all tissues. In the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) HA is present throughout development and into adulthood. While the functions of HA are likely to be mediated by HA-binding proteins, no cell or tissue specific HA-binding proteins have been reported. In an effort to characterize the composition of the extracellular matrix of the CNS, we sought to identify neural HA-binding proteins. We report here the isolation and characterization of a cDNA with a high degree of sequence homology to members of the proteoglycan tandem repeat (PTR) family of HA-binding proteins. Unlike other HA-binding proteins, the expression of this cDNA is restricted to the CNS. We propose the name BEHAB, Brain Enriched HyAluronan Binding protein, for this gene. The expression of BEHAB mRNA is developmentally regulated; expression is first detected in the late embryonic period and peaks during the first two postnatal weeks. In the embryo, BEHAB is expressed at highest levels in mitotically active cells. The sequence of BEHAB has long stretches of identity between rat and cat, suggesting that the encoded protein is functionally important. The size and sequence of BEHAB are consistent with the possibility that it could serve a function like link protein, stabilizing interactions between HA and brain proteoglycans. These observations suggest that existence of other tissue specific HA-binding proteins.
透明质酸（HA）是所有组织细胞外基质中普遍存在的成分。在哺乳动物中枢神经系统（CNS）中，HA在整个发育过程直至成年期均有存在。虽然HA的功能可能由HA结合蛋白介导，但尚未有细胞或组织特异性HA结合蛋白的报道。为了表征CNS细胞外基质的组成，我们试图鉴定神经HA结合蛋白。我们在此报告了一种cDNA的分离和表征，该cDNA与HA结合蛋白的蛋白聚糖串联重复（PTR）家族成员具有高度的序列同源性。与其他HA结合蛋白不同，该cDNA的表达仅限于CNS。我们为此基因提议命名为BEHAB，即脑富集透明质酸结合蛋白。BEHAB mRNA的表达受发育调控；最早在胚胎后期检测到表达，并在出生后的前两周达到峰值。在胚胎中，BEHAB在有丝分裂活跃的细胞中表达水平最高。大鼠和猫的BEHAB序列有很长一段相同，这表明所编码的蛋白在功能上很重要。BEHAB的大小和序列与它可能具有类似连接蛋白的功能、稳定HA与脑蛋白聚糖之间相互作用的可能性一致。这些观察结果提示存在其他组织特异性HA结合蛋白。
